Material handling system



April 2, 1968 J. s. KlvETr :ET/u. 3,375,046

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MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM Filed March 29, 1965 United States Patent OABTRACT OF THE DESCLOSURE `Multiple containers have tapered side and endwalls so that they are nestable within each other for storage. L ids forthe containers have depressed top portions forming pockets for receivingthe bottom of a container to permit stacking without lateral sliding.Selected lids have wheels secured to the under surface thereof, wherebya lid may be used on the bottom of a stack as a truck, and yet thewheels may be hidden within the container when the lid is used for itsnormal function. The lids have .lip portions cooperating withcorresponding lip portions on the c ontainers for maintaining the lidengaged with the container a-t one end and a hasp and latch member arerespectively secured to the lid and container at a position oppositefrom the engaging 4lips to secure the lid in place.

rl'his invention relates to improvements in material handling systemsand more particularly to a container and lid assembly for use inwarehouses and the like. l

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide acontainer and lid assembly wherein the lid may be selectively used as acaster truck and as a covering hd; to provide such an assembly whereinthe lid is adapted to receive an upper container thereinto for modularstacking without relative lateral displacement; to provide such anasembly wherein the lid may be locked into position on the container tohelp insure against upsetting stacked containers due to separationbetween the lid and the container which it covers; to provide such anassembly wherein the containers may be telescoped or nested into eachother for convenient storage and handling; to provide such a materialhandling system wherein the containers include support members pivotallysecured to the side walls thereof and adapted to selectively assume aposition extending toward the opposite side wall to support the bottomof an upper container in absence of a lid; to provide such an asemblywherein the lid surface for receiving the bottom of the container andthe container bottom are integrally lribbed for strength and yet fitinto each other without Wasting space; to provide such a lid having3,376,046 Patented Apr. 2, 1968 received in and resting on the lidwhich, in turn, rests upon the ground.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through a caster lid on anenlarged scale particularly illustrating the fastening structure betweenthe caster wheel and the lid body.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken 0n the line 6--6,1FIG. 5, further showing the fastening structure between the wheel andlid.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through an assembledcontainer and ylid particularly showing a lid portion projectinginwardly from a depending lid lip for engaging the upper lip on an endwall of the container to prevent a vertical separation therebetweenunless the lid is moved horizontally with respect to the container.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View on an enlarged scaleshowing a container support piv'otally mounted on the side wall of alower contaner for receiving and supporting the bottom of an uppercontainer in absence of a lid.

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a pair of nestedcontainers on an enlarged scale showing the container support pivotedout of the container interior and against the side wall.

FIG. 10 is perspective view of a container with the pivotal containersupports projecting inwardly.

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are bottom views of caster lids showing alternatepositions for securing caster wheels thereto.

FIG. 14 is a vertical, longitudinal cross-sectional view through a-container and lid particularly showing engaging cooperation between thelid lip and container lip.

Referring to the drawings in more detail:

The reference numeral 1 generally indicates a one-piece container orreceptacle preferably molded of snythetic resin and comprisingdownwardly and inwardly converging side walls 2 and end walls 3 joinedtogether and adapted to telescope ywithin each other for nesting as bestillustrated in FIG. 2. The containers 1 each include a bottom wall 4having spaced apart longitudinally extending ribs 5 formed integrallytherewith and an upwardly open top 6 defined by top edges 7 and 8,respectively, of the side and end walls 2 and 3. The top edges 7 and 8form a continuous four-cornered lip 9 integral with and extendingoutwardly from the container forming a substantially flat horizontalupper portion 10 and a downwardly extendi ing end flange 11.

caster wheels supported in spaced apart positions thereon C t in anmanner which minimizes local bending in the l-id and thereby increasesthe life thereof; and to provide such a container assembly which iseasily manufactured and rugged and convenient in use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection lwith the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth-by way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of thisinvention.

FIG. l -is a perspective view showing several containers J in stackedcondition with lids` therebetween, the stack being supported by anadditional caster 'lid `for ease of movement.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional View through three containers innested positions.

FIG. 3 is a vert-ical cross-sectional View through a container and lidassembly showing the position assumed by the caster wheels when a casterlid is used as a cover.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through a caster lid andcontainer showing the container bottom A lid designated 12 is providedfor the container 1 and has a central generally horizontally extendingbody portion 13 with an upper surface 14 and a lower surface 15. The lid12 is also preferably constructed of molded synthetic resin in suchmanner that spaced apart integral parallel ribs 16 are alternatelyformed in the upper and lower surfaces 14 and 15 and are spaced apartfor receiving the downward projecting portions of the container ribs,FIG. 4. In addition to the ribs 16, the lid 12 has upwardly extending orelevated corner joined` end and side ribs 17 and 18, respectively, whichrise above the upper surface 14 adjacent and spaced slightly inwardlyfrom a downwardly extending peripheral lip 19. The end and side ribs 17and 18 form a cavity 20` for receiving the container bottom wall 4 andllower portions of the side and end walls 2 and 3 of an upper container,The cavity 20 is of a size for snugly receiving the bottom of thecontainer without interfering with the cooperative engagement betweenthe respective ribs 5 and 16 whereby when a container is resting uponthe top surface of a lid, lateral relative displacement is prevented andseparation can occur only by vertical separation.

The peripheral lip 1,9 on the lid includes a horizontal portion 21 andvertical portion Z2 which respectively engage the horizontal portion 10and the downwardly extending flange 11 of the container when the lid isin top covering position. IOne end 23 (FIG. 7) of the lid 12 has ahorizontal lip portion 24 projecting inwardly from the bottom edge ofthe vertical portion 22. The lip portion 24 is adapted for engagementwith the bottom of the downwardly extending end ange 11 of the containerto prevent vertical separation therebetween unless the lid is rst tiltedupwardly from the container end 2S (FIG. 3) opposite 'the end 23 andthen displaced horizontally toward the end 23 to effect disengagementbetween the lip portion 24 and the end flange 11.

The end 25 has a hasp member 26 pivotally fastened thereto and acorrespondingly positioned latch member 27 is fixed to the adjacent endwall 3 of the container. The hasp member curved inwardly beneath the end25 for engagement with the latch member whereby they lock togetherbeneath the lid lip for preventing the removal of the lid sincedisengagement cannot then be effected at the opposite end 23. The latchmember 27, in the illustrated example, comprises a planar tab 28generally parallel to the end of Wall 3 and pivotally secured to a baseplate 29 for rotation in a plan generally parallel to the end wall 3.When the tab 28 lis rotated downwardly while the hasp member 26 is incontact with the base plate 29, the hasp member becomes locked inposition. An end opening 3() is provided in the tab 28 for receiving apadlock, wire seal, or the like (not shown) to prevent tampering.Rotation of the tab 28 upwardly permits the hasp member 26 to be pivotedoutwardly and upwardly from the receptacle allowing release of the iid.

A plurality of caster wheels 31 are secured in spaced apar-t relationagainst the lid lower surface by means of a mounting plate 32 resting insuitable depressions or cavities 33 in the lid upper surface 14. Themounting plate 32 has a plurality of depending threaded studs 33 securedthereto and depending through bores 34 extending through the bodyportion 13 of the lid. The studs 33 also extend through the respectivecaster wheel plate 35 and receive suitable nuts 36 whereby the plate 35is urged securely against the lid lower surface 15. By spacing the studs33 a considerable distance apart, the stress transferred to the lid fromthe caster wheels is spread over a relatively large area and is therebyreduced in magnitude, greatly increasing the fatigue life of the lidbody portion 13, particularly in the area adjacent the caster wheels.

It is apparent from the above that the respective lids 12, when thecaster wheels 31 are secured thereto, may be used selectively as a lidfor cover-ing a container 1 or as a truck for receiving a container andallowing wheeled movement thereof `over a oor surface 37. The cavity inthe lid for receiving the bottom of a container also serves to permitmodular stacking of several containers (FIG. 1). When the respectivelids are locked into posit-ion on the several containers, the lack ofeasy separation bet-Ween the lids and containers helps insure againstupsetting the stack during movement on the casters of the lowermost lidwhich supports the entire stack. When empty containers are nested as inFIG. 2, a stack thereof may also be moved on a Vlid in the same manner.

It is sometimes more convenient to dispense with one or more of theintermediate lids in a stack and yet be able to transport a plurality ofcontainers simultaneously. To accomplish this outwardly projecting pairsof aligned spaced apart hinges 38 are provided on each side of thecontainer as illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. The hinges 38 may beformed integrally with the molded container or suitably secured thereto,for example, in the same manner as the caster wheels 31. A rod support39 is pivotally mounted on the respective pairs of hinges 38 forselective pivotal movement from a position resting on the top edge 7 ofthe container (FIG. 8) to a position entirely beneath the top edge 7(FIG. 9). The rod supports 39 are suitably bent so that an intermediateportion 40 can assume the alternate positions of resting on the topedges 7 when folded up and against the side wall 2 when folded down. Therod supports, when in the top resting position, projeot toward theopposite side wall top edge and terminate in a downwardly offset protion41 for receiving the bottom wall edge of an upper con-tainer, therebypreventing lateral displacement of the upper container with respect tothe lower or supporting container and maintaining the upper container ina stacked condition -in absence of a lid 12. A connecting rod portion 42of each rod support 39 extends between the spaced apart hinges 38 andmay conveniently be used as a handle for lifting the containerregardless of the position taken by the rod support 39. The rodsupports, when folded down, do not interfere with the nesting of thecontainers.

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 illustrate various positions in which the casterwheels may be placed on the body portion 13 of the lid 12. The desiredposition of the caster wheels 31 will, of course, cause variations inthe particular configuration of the lid ribs 16 adjacent the casterwheels; however, this need not cause alteration of the ribs S of thecontainer since the mounting plates 32 are recessed at or below thelowermost level of the lid body portion 13 and thus do not interferencewith the interlocking of the ribs 5 and ribs 16, FIG. 4.

It is to be understood that although certain forms of this inventionhave been illustrated and described, it is not to be limited to thespecific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown exceptinsofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patenit 1. A container andlid assembly adapted to support and be stacked upon similar assembliesto produce a stack of containers comprising:

(a) an open receptacle having a side wall and a bottom wall and anupwardly open top defined by a peripheral lip,

(b) a lid for said receptacle having an upper and a lower horizontalsurface and a peripheral lip for cooperative engagement with saidreceptacle lip,

(c) elevated ribs on said lid rising above sai-d upper surface adjacentsaid lid lip and forming a cavity for receiving said bottom wall and alower portion of said side wall of an upper `receptacle thereinto 'andpreventing lateral displacement therebetween, and

(d) a plurality of caster wheels secure-d to said lid within an areadefined by said receptacle lip and depending from said lower surface forselectively movably supporting said lid above the ground and covering areceptacle.

2. The lid as set forth in claim 1 wherein said caster wheels eachinclude (a) a wheel plate, a mounting -plate for each of said wheels andresting on said lid upper surface and having depending threaded studsthereon,

(b) a cavity in said bottom portion for receiving each of said mountingplates, vertical bores through said lid in said respective cavity forreceiving said studs, said studs depending through said caster wheelplate, and

(c) nuts threadedly engaged with said studs and urging said respectivewheel plate toward said mounting plate with said lid therebetween formounting said caster wheel.

3. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said receptacle bottomwall and said lid each have alternate ribs formed therein and adaptedlto engage into each other when said bottom wall is received into saidcavity.

4. A container and lid assembly adapted to support and be stacked uponsimilar assemblies to produce a stack of containers comprising:

(a) a quadrilateral open receptacle having side and end walls and abottom wall and an upwardly open top defined by ltop edges of said sideand end walls,

(b) said top edges forming a Continuous four-cornered lip integral withyand extending around said top, said lip extending outwardly from thetop edges of said side and end walls and having a substantially athorizontal portion and a downwardly extending end flange,

(c) a quadrilateral lid for said receptacle having an upper and a lowerhorizontal surface and a downwardly extending peripheral lip forcooperative engagement with said receptacle lip, a bottom por- 'tion ofsaid Alid lip at one end yo'f said lid having a horizontal portionprojecting inwardly for engagement with said receptacle lip at one endof said end walls, the opposite end of said lid having a hasp memberpivotally fastened thereto, for swinging movement in a vertical plane,said hasp member curving inwardly and downwardly beneath said lid lip toa position adjacent said last-named end wall and terminating in a loop,and

(d) a latch member xed to said last-named end wall entirely beneath saidreceptacle lip and including a planar tab rotatable in a plane generallyparallel with said last-named end wall and engageable with said latchmember loop beneath said lip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 4/ 1958 Italy.4/1957 Switzerland.

LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner. 20 M. L. SMITH, Assz'stant Examiner.

